Piano-forte dam per-action



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G. M. WOODWARD.

Pia-no Forte Damper Action. No. 242,732. Patented June 7,1881

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N. PETERS. Phoioljkbugmvhi Wahmglon- D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE M. WOODVVARD, OF BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS.

PIANO-FORTE DAM PER-ACTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 242,732, dated June 7, 1881.

Application filed June 30, 1880.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE M. Woon- WARD, of Brookline, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Piano- Forte Actions, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to actions for upright piano-fortes; and it consists in the combination, with the damper and its vertical damperrod, of a piano-key, and a horizontal lever arranged an gularly to the damper-rod and adapted to actuate the said rod, all constructed and arranged as hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanying plate of drawings the present invention is illustrated.

Figure 1, Plate 1, is a side elevation of an upright-piano action embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a section on line a; m, Fig. 1, showing the damper connection, with a portion of the key in plan view. Fig. 3, Plate 2, is a side elevation, with the finger end of the key depressed and the parts of the action in their corresponding positions; Fig. 4, a front elevation of the damper and its parts connecting it with the key.

In the drawings, A represents a key to a pianoforte. This key at its inner end carries and connects with mechanism constituting the piano-action. This action mechanism is repeated for each key, and in some of its parts is attached to horizontal rails B, O, D, and E, running in parallel lines across the several keys, and at each end supported by suitable upright frames. This piano-action consists, essentially, of ajack, (3511211111116? H,back catch J, and damper It, all of which are arranged as ordinarily.

In the operation of the piano-action the upper edge of the arm 0 to the jack G abuts against the regulating-button P, and thus secures the escape of the jack from the hammerbutt as usual.

The damper K is at the upper end of a vertical rod, It, which swings in a vertical flange,

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T, of the rail D. The lower end of the rod R has an adjustable cushioned block, 11, which lies within anotch,f, in the upper side of a horizontal lever, h. The lever h is pivoted to a flange, L, of a horizontal rail, E, and it rests by one end, l, upon the inner end of a pianokey, A. The depression of the finger end of the key raises its rear end, and thus the end of the horizontal lever h, which rests upon the key, and, through this raising of the lever h, swings the vertical rod R in the proper direction to take the damper carried by such rod away from the piano-strings. The finger end of thekey bein greleased, the damper-operatin g lever h returns to its normal position, and this return is accelerated and insured by weighting the lever with lead, as shown at m, the lead being secured to the lever in any suitable manner. The line of direction of the operating-lever It for the damper K is shown as at an acute angle to the rod It, and the lever curves in its length. This curve and angular direction of the series of levers varies for the several keys, and its purpose is to secure connection between the keys and dampers in different planes, so that the damper-rods R can be arranged in true vertical lines, in which, obviously, the damperrods can best operate.

Having now described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a piano-forte action, the combination, with a piano-key and the horizontal pivoted lever h, arranged an gularly to the damper-rod and adapted to actuate the said rod, all constructed and arranged substantially as shown and described, and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEO. M. WOODWARD.

I'Vitnesses EDWIN W. BROWN, WM. S. BELLows.

the damper and its vertical damper-rod R, of 

